The key to your FAFSA status

– By Catherine Mueller

Computer keyboard with FAFSA button

It’s no longer just a matter of “done” or “not done” when considering the status of your financial aid application.

Due to all the changes with the 2024-25 FAFSA, there are some nuances and it’s important to understand the different status updates to determine if you need to take any action.

When you log in to your account at StudentAid.gov, the status of your application will be one of the following:

  • Draft: Your section of the FAFSA form is incomplete.
  • In Progress: You provided your consent, approval, and signature to your section of the FAFSA form, but the FAFSA form has not been submitted yet.
  • In Review: The FAFSA form was submitted but not processed yet.
  • Action Required: You are missing your consent and approval or signature; or the FAFSA form was processed, but a correction is required.
  • Processed: Your application was processed successfully. No further action is needed.
  • Closed: Your FAFSA form was never submitted and can no longer be submitted because the federal FAFSA deadline passed.

If your FAFSA is showing as “processed,” you should have received a FAFSA Submission Summary, which you can access via your StudentAid.gov dashboard.

Scroll to Top